Researchers Expose Cunning Online Tracking Service That Can't Be Dodged

Monday Aug 1st 2011 by Datamation.com Staff

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KISSmetrics tracks Web users even if they have cookies blocked and are using the privacy settings on browsers.

Wired: UC Berkeley researchers have published a new report which exposes KISSmetrics, a service that tracks Web users even if they have taken the usual steps to protect their privacy. “The stuff works even if you have all cookies blocked and private-browsing mode enabled,” said report author Ashkan Soltani. “The code itself is pretty damning.”

The service is used by many popular sites, including Hulu (although Hulu says it cut ties with KISSmetrics after the report first appeared.)

KISSmetrics spokesperson Hitten Shah acknowledged that the substance of the report was correct, but defended the company's service. “We don’t do it for malicious reasons. We don’t do it for tracking people across the web,” Shah said. “I would be having lawyers talk to you if we were doing anything malicious.”